


Enchanted

by JazzSquare24



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: A little angst, Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Magic AU, Romance, fairytale AU, hidden identities, kinda like the frog prince but with cats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2018-07-27 09:17:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7612456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JazzSquare24/pseuds/JazzSquare24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>True love's kiss will break the curse, but what if your true love doesn't stick around to see the transformation? This is Adrien's dilemma - once an enchanted cat, now a human again thanks to a kiss from his one true love, Marinette. But she doesn't know his true identity, doesn't know that it was Adrien Agreste beneath all that fur. It's up to him to show her that he and Chat Noir are one and the same, and most importantly, her true love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based off the novel Enchanted by Alethea Kontis. Highly recommend it. I'm a total sucker for fairytales and true love's kiss and all that jazz. I hope you enjoy!

When it came to needing inspiration, Marinette had just the place. When she wanted to escape from reality for a little bit, or needed a boost of creativity, she would take her drawing pens and sketchbook and venture out into the meadow behind her house. Just near the edge of the forest was what she liked to call her secret garden of inspiration. She was convinced that it was magic - at least in the sense that she did her best creative thinking when she was there. It was a warm patch of grass, just sunny enough, with a spectacular view of the Parisian city skyline in the distance. She could sit there for hours, drawing in her sketchbook and imagining her future, daydreaming about the day when she moved away from her small hometown to Paris. Oftentimes she would forget how long she’d been out in her spot, and usually her mother had to call her inside as the sun was setting. 

Marinette sat in her secret garden today, brows furrowed and tongue poking out of her mouth in concentration as she sketched a new design. She was so focused on her task that she didn’t notice that she was muttering her ideas to herself. She didn’t notice when a black cat crept out of the forest, stalking towards her. She only noticed when the cat spoke. 

“Why feathers?” 

Marinette yelped, nearly jumping out of her skin. Her pens and papers scattered. Frazzled, she looked to where the voice came from. A black cat sat watching her, only a few feet away. Big green eyes gleamed at her curiously, its tail slowly swaying back and forth in front of its paws. 

“Pardon?” she asked somewhat breathlessly as she scrambled to gather her utensils. 

The cat grinned, flashing its sharp white teeth at her. Marinette had never seen a cat so expressive before. “Why are you using feathers for your hat?” it asked with a distinctly male voice. 

Marinette’s eyes widened. Not only was this a talking cat, it had heard her mumblings about the bowler hat she was designing. She flushed, a little embarrassed. 

“Uh...the design is based off pigeons….or at least the feathers of a pigeon...so I want to incorporate actual feathers with the design…” Marinette felt somewhat foolish, explaining herself to a cat. 

And yet it didn’t seem like the strangest thing that could happen. Marinette believed in magic, after all. She knew all sorts of fairy tales. A talking cat - perhaps an enchanted one? - seemed to fit right in. She liked to humor herself by thinking she had a magical touch with animals. Or, at the very least, with ladybugs. Sometimes they would flutter around her in groups or land delicately on the tip of her pencil as she drew. And she was in her secret garden. If it really was magical, of course a talking cat would be drawn in. 

Said cat narrowed its eyes and curled its mouth in disgust. Marinette chuckled. The expression was so human-like that it didn’t seem suited at all on the face of a cat. 

“What?” she asked through her laughter. “You don’t like pigeons?”

“No,” the cat replied, the same expression on its face. “I’m allergic to feathers.”

“Looks like I won’t be designing any hats for kitty then,” she remarked, slowly opening her sketchbook up and turning to a blank page. He was a handsome cat, she thought as she lightly traced the shape of his head onto her paper. His features were striking - it wasn’t every day she saw eyes so electric green or black fur as shiny as his. 

As she filled in the facial features, she felt soft fur brush the skin of her wrist and looked down to see the cat peering at her sketchbook, intrigued. She smiled and opened the book wider for him to watch as she fully drew his face, including the whiskers and dark, oblong pupils. 

The cat cocked its head to one side as Marinette wrote Chat Noir in swirly cursive letters above the drawing. She wondered briefly if this cat even knew what he actually looked like. After all, it wasn’t like cats had access to mirrors. And yet she couldn’t help but wonder if he had always been a cat. Based on the talking and the expressions, he very well might be a human under the fur. 

“Purrty drawing,” said the cat, an actual purr rolling off his tongue. 

Marinette couldn’t help the blush rising in her cheeks. A compliment was a compliment, even coming from a feline. “Thanks,” she replied. Feeling braver, she skimmed through the pages of her sketchbook. “I do a lot of drawing in my free time,” she explained. 

The cat placed a paw on one of the pages that flew by under her fingers. She paused and let him look at the illustration. A girl with bluish black hair and sky-blue eyes with a soft, neutral expression gazed at them. 

“It’s a self-portrait,” she explained. “I did it a few weeks ago. Thought I could use a challenge.” 

The cat’s tail swished back and forth, his eyes darting between the drawing of Marinette’s face and her actual face. “It’s almost as lovely as the lady herself,” he drawled, his mouth spreading into a Cheshire Cat grin. He looked back down at the page and pawed at the signature scribbled in one corner. “That’s your name?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said with a nod. “Marinette.”

“Marinette,” he echoed. 

“What’s your name?” she asked curiously. 

The cat sat back on the grass, a little smirk on his face. “You can call me Chat Noir,” he said. 

She imagined that an enchanted cat would have a much more interesting name than that. Assuming he was enchanted. Maybe this kitty was just a human who had somehow got mixed up in a spell. Maybe he did have a human name, and just couldn’t remember it. 

“Well, Chat Noir,” Marinette said, flipping to a clean page and idly sketching the Paris skyline for the umpteenth time. “How come I’ve never seen you around here before? I think I would remember meeting a talking cat in my secret garden of inspiration.”

The expression on Chat Noir’s face was flirty, and somehow entirely suited for a cat. “Usually when I drop by a lady’s ‘secret garden of inspiration’ she’s not so keen on talking to me. If I had known that I would meet you, I certainly would have come here much sooner.” His tail brushed her wrist playfully. 

Yep, Marinette thought. Definitely a human at one point. 

“They probably don’t want to talk to you because you sneak up on them,” she pointed out.

“I can’t help it that I’m just so smooth I hardly make a sound,” Chat replied, strolling in front of where she sat and bending down into a stretch. “Besides,” he rolled onto his back and looked up at her, “it’s kind of fun to make people jump.”

“So that’s how you get your kicks, then?” Marinette asked with a laugh. 

Chat Noir’s eyes gleamed. She had to admit he looked pretty cute, lying there belly-up. She was tempted to pet him, but wondered if that would be crossing a line. They had just met, after all. 

“How else is a cat supposed to entertain himself?” he said. “Today was pawsitively boring until I snuck up on you.” 

Marinette rolled her eyes. “On second thought, the reason no one is keen on talking to you is probably because of your catastrophic puns.”

Chat giggled. It was surprisingly very endearing to hear a cat giggle. It made her want to pet him more. 

“There’s more in store for you, my lady,” he promised, swishing his tail happily. Marinette was about to retort when his ears quirked and his eyes snapped towards her house in the distance. She heard it not long after he did - the sound of her mother’s voice calling for her. 

With a gasp Marinette scrambled to her feet, snatching up her sketchbook and pens. Chat Noir watched, bemused, as she fumbled around. 

“I have to go,” she panted. “I forgot all about going into town today, and now I’ll definitely be late.” She gasped again and looked around frantically. “And I forgot all about the feathers for my hat!” 

“I can help with that,” Chat Noir said, but Marinette hardly heard him. She was halfway across the meadow before she turned around and shouted goodbye to him. He watched her go, his tail swishing behind him, and then he sauntered back into the forest. 

~

Marinette was up bright and early the next morning, rushing to finish her chores so that she could do more sketching in the meadow. She wondered if Chat Noir would be there again. 

Sure enough, there was a black cat waiting for her in the exact spot she sat yesterday. In his mouth was a clump of gray feathers. 

When she sat down beside him, he dropped them into her lap and then sneezed. Marinette couldn’t help but giggle. Cat sneezes were very cute. 

“Are these pigeon feathers?” she asked in amazement, smoothing out each one with her fingers. 

Chat Noir rubbed his nose with a paw. “Pigeon feathers for the lady with the pigeon hat,” he said. 

“But aren’t you allergic to feathers?” 

If cats could shrug, she was certain Chat Noir did. He sat on his hind feet and lifted his front paws in the air, raising his shoulders slightly. She laughed at how odd it looked for a cat to perform such a human gesture. 

“It’s not so bad,” he said with a sly grin. “The sneezing is a small price to pay for the fun I had.”

“I feel sorry for the poor pigeons you harassed these from,” she said, quirking a brow at him. 

He waved a paw at her. “Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything mean. Just roughed them up a bit. All in good fun.” He sneezed again. 

She laughed. “Thank you, Chat Noir.” Somewhat hesitantly, she reached out to stroke the top of his head. His fur was pleasantly soft and sleek. She watched his eyes widen comically in surprise and then slide closed, his lips spreading in a small smile. Encouraged, Marinette scratched one of his ears. She laughed with delight as he purred softly. “Silly kitty.”

He snapped out of it when he sneezed again. 

Marinette tucked the feathers safely into the pockets of her dress. Placing her sketchbook on her lap, she opened to a fresh page. “I’ll be sure to show you the hat when it’s complete,” she promised. She began sketching a dress design that had been stuck in her head for several hours now. Chat Noir placed himself right beside her, watching intently. 

When she was mostly satisfied with the basic sketch, she began to jot down little notes, muttering to herself as she did. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she forgot Chat was there, and only remembered when he meowed loudly. 

“What is it?” she asked in surprise. 

He smirked. “Must be a good design,” he remarked, rubbing his cheek against her arm. Marinette was flattered by his affection. “I just wanted to ask you a question,” Chat said.

“Okay, what is it?”

“What else do you like to do? Besides drawing.”

“Oh.” Marinette tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Well my parents own a bakery. So I’ve picked up a few things about baking from them. I love to make cookies. Chocolate chip is my favorite.” 

Chat Noir’s eyes lit up. “I think I remember what those taste like,” he said. “Sweet….I used to steal them from the kitchen…” he trailed off, his voice very quiet.

Marinette was intrigued. She wanted to know more, wanted to hear the rest of what Chat Noir meant to say. She thought he might have meant from his life as a human, which she was incredibly curious about. But she didn’t want to pry. And by the look of Chat’s wistful eyes and droopy ears, Marinette decided to move on. 

“I also love designing clothes,” she added. “That’s why I sketch so much. I even made this dress.” She pinched the light pink fabric of the dress she wore between her fingers. 

“Really?” Chat Noir asked, amazed.

She nodded. “I want to be a fashion designer, and have my own fashion line and a boutique in Paris,” she said eagerly. 

“Have you ever been to Paris?”

“No,” Marinette said with a sigh, resting her chin in her hand and gazing at the skyline. “But someday I will.”

“You’d love it,” Chat Noir insisted.

She perked up. “You’ve been there?”

He bobbed his chin up and down in a nod. 

“What’s it like?”

“The cat’s meow,” he said with a wink. “You’ll fit right in.”

“I bet Paris is a lot more fun than this boring little meadow,” Marinette remarked. 

“I disagree,” Chat Noir replied. “This meadow has something that Paris does not.” He paused and tilted his head at her, clearly waiting for her to ask what that might be. She quirked a brow. “A purrty lady named Marinette,” he said, eyes gleaming at his pun. She groaned, yet couldn’t help but smile.

“You probably say that to every girl you meet,” she teased. 

“I don’t,” Chat insisted. “In fact, you’re the only human I’ve really talked to.”

Marinette blinked. “Really?”

He nodded. “No one’s been as nice as you,” he admitted. “I’ve tried to talk to humans before, but they always brushed me off or freaked out.” Emerald eyes gazed shyly at her. “But you listen. It’s been awhile since I’ve met someone who listens. And...I-I really like talking to you, Marinette.” He lowered his eyes bashfully, his tail curling by his paws. 

Marinette’s heart fluttered. She’d always thought he was cute - he was a cat, after all - but now he had reached unfair levels of cuteness. How could she not snatch him up and hug him after saying something like that, and looking the way he did?

Chat meowed in surprise as she hugged him tight and nuzzled her cheek against his furry face. For a second, Marinette wondered if she had crossed a line, but the question vanished when she felt his content purrs against her skin. “I really like talking to you, too, Chat,” she agreed. 

His whiskers tickled her lips. “Glad to hear it, puuurrrincess,” he said through his purrs. “And no cracks about my puns,” he added hastily. “You already said you like talking to me, no taking it back.”

Marinette giggled. “I won’t take it back, Chat,” she promised. 

~

After staying up into the late hours of the night to put the finishing touches on her pigeon hat, Marinette tossed and turned in bed for a few hours before rising at the crack of dawn to complete her chores. As soon as she had finished the last one, she made a mad dash for her room, grabbed the hat, and ran all the way to the meadow. She was pleased to see Chat Noir waiting for her there already. 

“It’s finished!” she exclaimed, tumbling down to the ground beside him and making him jump. 

Her excitement was infectious. Chat Noir placed his front paws on her legs, peeking at the item in her hands. “What’s finished?” he asked eagerly. 

She proudly presented the bowler hat by placing it on her head and pretending to model it. “It took me eight hours,” she said breathlessly. “But I did it!” 

Chat smiled, flashing his little fanged teeth. “It looks amazing,” he said. “What are you going to do with it?”

“Sell it.”

“Really?”

Marinette nodded. “If I make a product I’m particularly proud of, I take it to town with me and sell it in the market.” She removed the hat to show him the inside. He peered at the gold stitching that spelled out Marinette’s name. “I sign them, too. So hopefully people will start to recognize my designs.”

“Impressive,” Chat Noir remarked with a wink. Marinette felt her cheeks warm. 

“Thanks,” she murmured. “I’m saving up for Paris.”

“Someone will definitely buy your hat,” he said, settling into her lap. “You can make even stupid pigeons look cool.”

Marinette rolled her eyes and groaned, stroking his tail affectionately. “You need to work on those puns, minou.”

Chat closed his eyes and purred as she scratched him under the chin. “Why? Think toucan do better?”

She teased him by placing the bowler hat over his head, giggling when he started to sneeze. 

~

It became part of Marinette’s routine to spend as much time in the meadow as possible, because that meant she could spend time with Chat Noir. He waited for her in the same spot every day. Sometimes she would bring new pieces she had designed to show him. Sometimes he brought her little “gifts” (as he called them), although Marinette didn’t really intend on keeping the mouse tail he gave her. Most days she doodled in her sketchbook and Chat watched her draw, and they would talk. He mostly asked her questions - what her favorite foods were, what her parents were like, what she was like growing up. She answered every question he asked, but she wished that she could get to know him that way too. She wanted to know about his past. But she would never pry, because whenever his past did come up (accidentally) it clearly made Chat Noir sad. She never wanted to see him sad - not when she could see him as the silly and sweet cat he was.

He currently sat in her lap, Marinette stroking him fondly with one hand and doodling idly with the other. He dozed, his tail slowly swishing from side to side. They made a very content picture, even as gray storm clouds loomed in the distance and threatened to cut their afternoon short. 

Every now and then Marinette glanced down at Chat for reference as she drew his sleeping form. Lately the pages of her sketchbook were full of black cats. If she wasn’t drawing him, she was thinking about him. She couldn’t help but let her mind wander to all the questions she had about him. How he came to be a black cat, who he was before his transformation, where he came from, how he found her meadow. Her obsession reminded her of a former crush she used to have on a certain model back when she was younger. 

Flipping to a blank page, Marinette began to draw said model. Adrien Agreste had been missing for several months now, though no one knew why. While her crush on him now wasn’t quite as extreme as the one she’d harbored when she was fourteen, she couldn’t help but blush whenever she saw pictures or heard talk about him. He was a model, after all - incredibly handsome, and the son of her favorite fashion designer. 

Chat Noir stirred in her lap, rolling over onto his back, belly-up. Marinette scratched his belly, which made him purr. 

“Sleepy chaton,” she murmured fondly as his emerald eyes blinked open. “Done with your cat nap?”

He rubbed his furry face against her leg. “Not quite,” he mumbled, still partly asleep. Marinette turned her attention back to her drawing. Chat Noir, ever the curious cat, looked over too.

He stiffened in her lap. He sat up, spine ramrod straight, and stared at her illustration. Marinette was a little confused by his behavior. She had never seen him react in such a way before. 

“Who’s that?” Chat Noir asked quietly, eyes glued to the paper. 

“It’s Adrien Agreste,” Marinette explained. “He’s a model. Or, was a model, anyway. He’s been missing for a while.”

“What happened to him?”

“I’m not sure. No one knows.”

Chat Noir tore his gaze away from her sketch and climbed out of her lap. His mood had changed completely. She had never seen him so gloomy, had never seen his ears droop that way or his tail hang so low. It hurt her to see him like this, when usually he was the brightest part of her day. 

“Oh, Chat,” she cooed, putting her sketch book aside. “What’s wrong?”

He looked at her with sad eyes. “Marinette, you must know….you must have guessed by now that I’m not truly a cat.”

Marinette’s eyes widened. To hear him actually say it made it stranger. “You were a human once,” she said, and it wasn’t a question. 

He nodded solemnly and hung his head. “Not very long ago. I thought I had accepted my fate,” he said gravely, raising a paw to glare at his claws as he flexed them. “I thought that eventually I would just forget what it was like to be a human at all. But you…” He trailed off and blinked sad kitty eyes up at her. “Then I met you and you reminded me of all the reasons why I miss being a human.”

Marinette’s heart swelled with sympathy and longing. “Oh Chat, what happened to you? How can we fix it?” she asked, one hand resting over her heart, the other reaching for him. He bumped her palm with his nose, closing his eyes as her fingers caressed his head. He didn’t speak, and she didn’t press him. She would provide support for him, no matter what kind. If he wanted to just be pet for a moment, she certainly wouldn’t refuse. 

Suddenly his ears quirked upward, listening. He opened his eyes. A rueful smile spread on his lips. “Your mother is looking for you,” he said. As soon as he did, Marinette heard her name called. She groaned in frustration. She had forgotten about the damn delivery. “You’re always late for things,” Chat said with a soft smile. 

Marinette grabbed her sketchbook and her pens. “Don’t worry, Chat Noir,” she said fiercely. “I’ll help you. I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise.” She rose to her feet, about to turn away, then stopped and bent down once more to place a kiss on top of Chat Noir’s head. “Promise,” she said again. Then she whirled around and ran back to her house, leaving a stunned black cat watching her. 

Unfortunately Marinette did not go back to the meadow that day. The storm clouds that had seemed so far away hours before were now looming overhead, dark and ominous. The wind picked up and rain poured down, sharp and aggressive. Thunder clapped and lightning lit up the French countryside. In her room, huddled under the blankets, Marinette ached for Chat Noir. She felt like crying at the thought of him caught up in this storm, all alone. She wished that he was there with her, so they could cuddle under the blankets and feel safe. It was just her luck that on the day he needed her most, they would be forced apart. 

She hoped that sleep came quickly. The sooner sleep came, the sooner the storm ended, the sooner morning would come and she could be reunited with her Chat Noir.


	2. Part II

When Adrien came to, the only thing he was aware of was how badly his body hurt. It was aching and sharp and burning all at once, over every inch of his skin, from the top of his head down to his toes. He inhaled sharply. He regretted it as fire rose in his lungs and burned his chest. He wanted to cry out from the pain but he couldn’t find his voice. He dared to open his eyes just the slightest. He couldn’t manage more than a squint. All the pain made his head spin. 

He laid completely still and listened to the sounds of the forest. Heard leaves rustling in the soft wind. Felt rays of sunshine heating his bare skin. The forest floor was rough and cool beneath his back. He breathed in. He breathed out. 

After a few moments, Adrien shifted. He flexed his now-human toes. Flexed his now-human fingers. He stretched every muscle and joint in his body at a snail’s pace, until eventually he could sit up without feeling faint. He figured this was progress. 

He looked down at his body. Human. Dirty. Naked. He was covered in scratches, not really sure how any of them got there specifically. His blonde hair was now shaggy and hung in his face and below his ears. Irritated by the length, he pushed it back from his forehead. He ran his hand over his face. Felt a human nose, two eyebrows, human lips and human teeth. 

The only thing that hadn’t changed was his hunger. His stomach growled loudly. He was starving. But unfortunately food would have to wait. He needed to make his way out of the forest first. Make his way home. Make his way to Marinette. 

As soon as he thought of her, she overwhelmed his thoughts. He sighed softly as visions of her smiling at him clouded his brain. Marinette. She had saved him. He didn’t think it would happen so quickly. He didn’t think it would happen at all. He had hoped it would of course - as soon as she had asked how to fix the curse he was ready to spill everything. He couldn’t believe his luck - he didn’t even get to tell her anything, yet she had kissed him anyway. And the kiss worked! 

Adrien’s heart swelled. Marinette was his true love. She loved him. He loved her. Once again, he thanked his lucky stars. His only dilemma was that she had fallen in love with him while he was a cat. But that shouldn’t matter. They were meant to be. And he would go to her and confess everything to her and kiss her properly. His body burned again, but with a pleasant fire, at the thought of actually kissing Marinette with human lips. Touching her with human hands. Feeling her hair and skin and rubbing his human cheek against hers. 

But first, Adrien reminded himself as his stomach growled again, he needed to find her. Before that, he needed to figure out where the hell he was. 

The storm had confused him in his transformation, and set him on a path that was much different than the one Adrien had grown accustomed to. This forest didn’t look anything like the forest near Marinette’s meadow. Adrien stumbled to his feet, taking a few moments to gain his balance before standing up straight. It felt odd to be on two legs again. It felt strange without a tail to help him balance. The forest was unnervingly quiet - he couldn’t hear anything without his remarkable cat ears. And the colors were bright and piercing, making Adrien squint. Dizziness swept over him, and he was tempted to lie back down and wait for it to pass. But he couldn’t. He was determined to get out of the forest. He just hoped that he didn’t encounter any other humans in his naked state. 

He walked as quickly as his body would allow him, which was not quick at all. His legs ached again, and he puffed his breath with every step. Marinette was his motivation. He could hardly wait to see her again. 

Luck must have been on his side that day, because before long he found himself on the edge of the forest, peering into the backyard of a small house. In the yard was a clothesline with several clean sheets flapping lightly in the wind. 

Adrien steeled himself, then made his way over to the yard as nonchalantly as a naked young man emerging from a forest possibly could. His anxiety grew the closer he got to the house. He glanced nervously at the windows and hoped that no one was home. When the sheets were just out of reach, Adrien snatched one off the line and hastily wrapped it around his waist. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do. 

He almost cleared the backyard successfully when he heard a gasp not too far away from him. He paused in his tracks and turned around, eyes wide when he met the gaze of an old lady gawking at him. He smiled sheepishly. 

“Good morning,” he croaked. “May I use your phone?”

~

If Adrien had expected Nino to be happy to see him, he was sorely disappointed. When Nino picked him up at the house he had nearly stolen sheets from (and had been very kindly given a clean t-shirt and jeans) he was glowering. He was courteous to the people who lived there, but when he and Adrien were alone in his car, he was completely silent. It made Adrien very uncomfortable. 

When they arrived at Adrien’s penthouse in Paris, Nino didn’t say a word as they got out of the car to let the driver put it in the garage. He stormed inside the hotel, and almost let the elevator doors close on Adrien. 

Adrien was very tired of his best friend giving him the silent treatment. “I know you’re angry,” he said softly as the elevator slowly rose from floor to floor. “And you should be.”

“Damn right I should be,” Nino muttered. 

“Will you let me explain what happened?” 

“Don’t really wanna hear it.”

Adrien frowned. “You don’t?”

“Nope,” Nino said shortly. He didn’t wait for Adrien when the doors opened on their floor. Adrien was left to speed-walk behind his best friend as he stormed to the penthouse, unlocking the door aggressively and stomping inside. 

Adrien followed Nino as he flopped down on the couch in the living room. “So you don’t want to know where I’ve been the past nine months?” he asked incredulously. 

“If it were really such a big deal, you would have told me yourself, right?” Nino said flatly, turning on the TV. “Not just vanish off the face of the earth without so much as a note to your best friend.” He shot his best friend a hard, unforgiving glare. 

“Nino, I’m sorry. But I was turned into a cat! I couldn’t leave a note for anyone!” Adrien exclaimed. 

Nino laughed harshly. “Shut up,” he muttered. 

“I’m serious! At the fashion gala nine months ago!” Adrien stood in front of the TV, blocking it from Nino’s view. “You remember that model, right? She went by Volpina?”

Nino frowned. “Not exactly.”

“She was the one who did it! Turned me into a cat!” Adrien cried. “All because I ruined her romantic date, or something.” He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to remember the details of that night. So much had happened since then that it all started to blur. All he really wanted to remember of the nine months since that night was meeting Marinette. He wanted to remember every moment he spent with Marinette. 

“You’re kidding, right?” Nino said skeptically. 

Adrien shook his head wildly, his blonde, shaggy hair falling into his face. “It’s true. She turned me into a cat and then kidnapped me from the party and dropped me off somewhere in the countryside.”

Nino gaped at him. “You can’t be serious...” he muttered, his eyes wide. “That sounds unbelievable.”

“Believe it, because it happened. And I can prove it,” Adrien said firmly. 

“You can?” Nino asked, quirking a brow. “How?”

“Marinette.”

“Who?”

“Marinette,” Adrien said softly, looking out the windows that overlooked Paris. “The girl who freed me. My true love.”

Nino started laughing, getting to his feet. “Okay, I think you hit your head or something. Your true love?”

“Yes! She kissed me and that’s what broke the spell.” Adrien explained. “And I have to find her,” he said with determination. 

“You don’t know where she is?” 

“All I know is that she lives in the countryside, and her parents own a bakery,” Adrien said. “She designs clothes. She sews her name in all of them. If I can find someone who has one of her pieces, I can ask them where they bought it and that will lead me back to -”

“Hold up, dude, hold up,” Nino said, putting his hands on Adrien’s shoulders. “You need to relax. Clearly you’ve been through a lot. And before you start looking for your true love, you should probably shower first.”

“Oh. Right.” Adrien nodded. “Shower.” Admittedly, it had been a while since he’d had one. He probably didn’t look - or smell - his best. He definitely wouldn’t want Marinette to meet him like this. 

“You go do that,” Nino instructed. “And I’ll try and do some research on your mystery lady.”

Adrien nodded, trudging off to the bathroom. 

“Hey, Adrien,” Nino said. 

He paused and turned around. 

“I’m glad you’re back.”

Adrien smiled. “Thanks, Nino. It’s good to be back.”

~

Adrien came out of the bathroom feeling like a new person. He was squeaky clean, with a freshly shaved jaw and shiny, if not a little too long, hair. It felt odd to be wearing his own clothes again, but he was glad that he finally could. It made him feel more human. 

“Looks like your lady is off the grid,” Nino remarked as Adrien peered over his shoulder to look at his computer screen. 

His heart sank at that. “You couldn’t find anything?”

“Nope. Not even a group photo.” Nino shot him a skeptical look. “You sure she’s real? You didn’t just imagine her in a crazy cat dream?”

“She’s real,” Adrien said firmly. “I’d know her as soon as I saw her.” He gasped suddenly as it dawned on him. “But she wouldn’t know me!”

“Because she met you as a cat,” Nino concluded. 

Adrien buried his face in his hands. “How am I ever going to convince her that I’m Chat Noir?”

“Chat Noir?” Nino echoed.

“That’s what she called me.” He groaned in frustration. “Nino, what am I going to do?”

“Just stay calm,” he said. “We’ll think of something.”

Adrien dragged his feet into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator for something to satisfy the pestering hunger in his belly. As a cat, eating was an exhausting part of the day because he had to catch his own food. Now, standing as a human in front of a refrigerator full of food, he thought he could cry at the sight of it all just waiting for him. 

While he made the biggest sandwich ever, Nino brainstormed. 

“What if we searched for her parents’ bakery?” he suggested. 

Adrien hung his head. “I don’t know what it’s called.”

“Well think about it,” Nino said, coming into the kitchen to join Adrien at the table. “You’re Chat Noir to her, but to the rest of France you’re Adrien Agreste. She must at least recognize your face, right?”

Adrien paused at that. “She does. She drew a picture of me...of my human face…”

“Perfect! So she knows of Adrien Agreste. Maybe if you somehow reached out to her…” Nino trailed off, tapping his chin. “What if you threw a huge party?”

“A party?”

“Yeah,” he said, growing more enthusiastic by the minute. “The biggest party of the year. And we could invite everyone in fashion! You said she’s a designer, right? Maybe she’ll come!” 

As soon as Adrien thought of hosting a party for the biggest names in the fashion industry, his mind flickered to his father. His stomach churned. Did his father even know he was alive? Had he even tried to look for him? Frankly, Adrien didn’t want to know if he hadn’t. His relationship with the only parent he had had always been somewhat distant, especially after Adrien moved out. Going nine months without seeing his own son was not unusual for famous fashion designer Gabriel Agreste. 

Nino suspected Adrien’s change in mood. “You’re thinking about your dad.”

Adrien stared at the sandwich he no longer felt like eating. “People will expect to see him at the party.”

“Think he’ll come?”

“Maybe. If he’s even in the country,” Adrien remarked bitterly. “Probably has no idea I was ever missing.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Nino insisted. “There were headlines about you all over the place.”

This didn’t reassure Adrien. If his father could hardly manage a measly phone call every couple months, why would he possibly keep up on news about his son? Adrien hardly felt like a son, anyway. He was an Agreste model first, and Gabriel made sure their relationship was professional. No matter how hard Adrien had tried in the past, nothing changed that. Nothing ever would, he realized. 

“Actually,” Adrien said, feeling anger hardening around thoughts of his father. “I don’t care what people expect. I don’t want my father at this party. This party is for Marinette.” She was the important one. His relationship with his father was a burden, and he was sure Gabriel would agree with him. But Marinette - she had chosen him. Adrien saw his future with her, and he didn’t care if his father was in it or not. 

Nino studied his best friend's face, seeing the anger and determination there. If he was concerned about what Adrien's declaration might mean for the future of his and his father's relationship, he didn't mention it. Instead, he let his eagerness for a party Paris would never forget take over. “Alright,” Nino said. “Let’s start planning!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for everyone's support on the first chapter. I really appreciate all the comments, kudos and bookmarks. Please feel free to leave a comment on this chapter as well, I know it's shorter than the first but don't worry, there's a lot in store! I hope you enjoy!


	3. Part III

“Marinette!” Alya rapped on her best friend’s bedroom door. “Marinette, open up!” 

The door was hardly open before Alya came barrelling in, bouncing with excitement. “What’s going on?” Marinette asked curiously. 

“Haven’t you heard? Adrien Agreste is back!” Alya squealed. 

Marinette’s eyes widened. “He is?”

“Yes! And he’s throwing a huge party in Paris!” Alya held up her phone for Marinette to look at the headline. “It’s going to be the biggest fashion event of the year.”

Marinette wasn’t surprised one bit that Alya had the first scoop on news like this. “Wow, that sounds amazing.”

“And it’ll be even more amazing when we go!”

“What?!”

“Of course we’re going!” Alya exclaimed in response to Marinette’s look of surprise. “Are you serious, girl? We cannot miss an opportunity like this. You cannot miss an opportunity like this.”

“What do you mean?” Marinette asked. 

Alya gestured to the endless amounts of notepads and sketchbooks, mannequins and fabrics and sewing tools that littered the bedroom. “Your designs, Marinette,” she said. “This is your chance to show the biggest names in fashion what you can do!”

“Oh, gosh, Alya, don’t be ridiculous,” Marinette scoffed. “They wouldn’t pay any attention to me.”

“How do you know? How do you know Adrien Agreste himself won’t walk right up to you and compliment the beautiful dress you’ll be wearing?” Alya asked with wide eyes. 

Marinette laughed lightly and shrugged. That was certainly a tempting image…

But once she thought of Adrien Agreste, her mind wandered back to that sketch she had drawn of him, the last day she saw Chat Noir. Her heart ached. She’d been losing sleep over her feline friend. No matter how much she looked for him, she couldn’t find him anywhere. The morning after the storm, he hadn’t been at their spot. She had spent hours and hours searching for him, calling his name. She worried about him endlessly. 

She hoped with all her heart that he wasn’t lost or injured anywhere. She couldn’t think of any other reason why he wouldn’t come back to her. That hurt even more. She thought they were close - she had come to consider him one of her best friends, maybe even had feelings for him. Now he was gone and she didn’t know how to find him or where to look. She didn’t like to think that he was wounded somewhere, calling out to her for help. Tears welled in her eyes as she imagined it, her sweet, silly Chat Noir hurting and alone. 

“Marinette?” Alya asked, sobering up at the sight of her best friend’s expression. “Are you okay?”

She perked up instantly. “Fine!” she insisted. She bit the inside of her cheek, blinked rapidly to clear any tears and brought her thoughts back around to the party. “How would we even get in, Alya? Isn’t it super elite?”

“That’s the best part - if you’re wearing something of your own original design, you get into the party for free!” 

Marinette’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

Alya nodded eagerly. “It’ll be a piece of cake for us! You have so many amazing designs. They’ll be so impressed.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Maybe Adrien Agreste will even fall in love with you,” she teased.

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Oh, please,” she muttered. To her dismay, her cheeks turned pink, even though she knew how unlikely it was that Adrien Agreste would even glance in her direction. She couldn’t help but blush, though. Clearly some of those feelings from when she was fourteen still existed, even though she was now twenty. But she didn’t want to have those feelings for Adrien anymore, especially not now when she had Chat Noir. It felt like such a betrayal to even consider going out when Chat might need her. 

“I don’t know, Alya…” Marinette said. “I’m not sure I’m up for it.”

Alya gasped. “Marinette,” she said sternly, placing her hands on her hips. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Seriously. All I’ve heard from you for years and years has been talk about Paris and fashion and what a dream it’ll be. Well, the dream is coming true.” Alya stepped forward to grasp Marinette by the shoulders. “This is the start, Mari. This is when your life changes.”

Marinette blinked at her best friend. Alya had a knack for motivational speeches. “Wow,” she breathed. 

Alya grinned smugly. “So, what do you say? Up for it?”

Marinette only hesitated for one more second before nodding. 

“Yes!” Alya exclaimed, hugging her best friend. “This is going to be amazing! Oh, also.” She stepped back and looked rather sheepish. “The party is in three days.”

“Three days!” Marinette cried, rushing over to her sketchbook. “I can’t design a whole new outfit in three days!” 

“You don’t need to,” Alya insisted. “You have so many amazing dress designs already.”

“But they can’t be just any dresses,” Marinette replied. “These have to be….amazing. One of a kind. And good enough to be seen at a high end fashion party!” 

“Well then,” Alya said, dragging a bare mannequin over. “We’ve got some work to do.”

~

The night of the party came. Alya and Marinette were prepping in Marinette’s bedroom, putting the last finishing touches on their outfits. For Alya, Marinette had fashioned a sleek, sleeveless black dress with red lining on the neckline and hem. For herself, she had designed a red gown with an empire waist, trimmed with black lace on the hem. Scattered over the red dress were black polka dots. Marinette had done it with ladybugs in mind. She figured if she was going to be showing off her own creations at an Agreste fashion event, she would need all the luck she could get. 

She couldn’t help but think of Chat Noir as she got ready, even though it made her feel extremely guilty. She fantasized about him coming to her doorstep, but as a human. She would fall into his arms and he would confess his love for her and then whisk her off to Paris where they’d live happily ever after. She secretly longed for it to really happen, wondering if she would hear the doorbell ring. But when it did ring, it was only the chauffeur on the other side. She tried to smile as brightly as she could, for Alya’s sake. She didn’t want to ruin her best friend’s night. 

Marinette’s nerves didn’t set in until they stepped out of the car at the venue in Paris. It was absolutely dazzling - the best hotel in the city was lit up from top to bottom. There was a red carpet, with what seemed like thousands of photographers taking pictures of the guests as they arrived. 

Marinette clutched Alya’s hand as the car door opened. “Alya,” she squeaked. “I can’t do this.”

“Yes you can,” she insisted, squeezing Marinette’s hand. “You look amazing, Marinette. These dresses are amazing. Now is your time to shine.” Alya made sure her best friend didn’t have time to second guess herself. She yanked her out of the car with her, and suddenly they were on a red carpet. 

“Oh my…” Alya trailed off, looking in awe. Marinette tried to remember to breathe as they swayed down the line, pausing every now and then to have their photos taken. 

By the time they reached the end of the red carpet, Marinette’s vision was slightly blurry. 

“That was unreal,” Alya said breathlessly.

“What?” Marinette shouted, her ears blocked from the sounds of clicking cameras and photographers hollering. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, and for the first time that night she genuinely felt excited. She was in Paris. She had just walked a red carpet. This was the beginning. She laughed with Alya as they rushed over to the hotel entrance. 

“Hello,” Marinette said eagerly to the huge, bored looking man with a clipboard. “I designed these dresses,” she squeaked, cringing at how foolish she sounded. 

The man didn’t seem interested at all. “Name of the designer?”

“Marinette.”

The bouncer raised his eyes at that, looking her over. She smiled nervously. 

“Last name?” he asked. 

“Dupain-Cheng.” 

He jotted her name down, then raised the corded rope. “Have a good time,” he said with a pleasant smile. 

Alya had to push Marinette forward and into the hotel lobby. The music echoed in every corner of the building. Lights flashed inside the ballroom. 

“Oh my god!” Alya squealed. “He took your name! Your whole freaking name!” 

“What do you think that means?” Marinette asked curiously.

“I don’t know, but it must be good!” 

Both girls had to try and calm down as they entered the actual party area. 

“Let’s scope out some outfits,” Marinette suggested. “I want to see what everyone is wearing.”

“And let everyone see what we’re wearing,” Alya added as they slipped into the crowd. 

~

“This was a bad idea,” Adrien said as he paced back and forth in front of Nino. They stood in a hallway off the side of the main lobby. The party had started an hour ago, and it was already packed. Clearly they had underestimated just how many people would show up. “How am I going to find Marinette in this huge mess?”

“Relax, dude. You heard what the Gorilla said,” Nino reminded him. “She’s already here and she’s with a friend. We even saw the red carpet photos. You’re almost there.”

“Yeah, but do you think the mask is still a good idea?” Adrien asked, gesturing to his face. He wore a black mask that made his green eyes look like the eyes of a cat’s, right down to the oblong pupils. It had been like pulling teeth to get someone to design them for him on such short notice. He didn’t usually like to use his last name to get what he wanted. But the finished product was exactly what he had hoped for. To match the mask, he was dressed in an all-black suit, with a green tie as an accent. Mimicking his cat coloring would hopefully spark a memory for Marinette. But he was currently having second thoughts about the outfit. 

“Yes,” Nino insisted. He was dressed in a suit as well. “You said it yourself. If she sees you as Adrien Agreste, that’s all she’s going to see you as. But if she sees you like this first, it might help give her a clue. Then you can reveal your true self and fall into her arms and live happily ever after.” He waved his hands flippantly. 

Adrien shot Nino a look. “If all goes well, that is. If I ever find her.” 

“I’m here for you, Adrien. I’ll keep my eye out.”

“You’re sure you know what she looks like?”

“She looks like a ladybug.” Nino glanced at his watch. “My set list is almost on. I’ll see you out there.”

Adrien nodded, gathering his bearings as he watched his best friend slip back into the lobby and disappear into the ballroom. He ran his hands through his hair. It was messier than ever - it seemed that his hair still held some magic from his enchantment. No matter how hard stylists had tried, they could not confine his golden locks into a polished style. Adrien had no explanation for them, because he knew they wouldn’t believe the truth - the leftover magic made his hair wild. He kind of liked it. He hoped Marinette would too. 

His stomach was in knots with the anticipation of seeing her. She looked magical herself in the one-of-a-kind dress she had designed. Briefly, he wondered if his father would be impressed by her skills. And then he felt guilty, because he realized Marinette might be expecting to meet his father here tonight. But she wouldn’t, and that was thanks to Adrien. 

A group of strangers passed by him, waving at him and complimenting his outfit. He gave a tight smile. He was glad that he was able to pass the somewhat unusual-looking mask off as a new trend in fashion instead of confessing that it was meant to pay homage to his past identity. 

Steeling his nerves, Adrien emerged from his hiding place and wandered into the ballroom. He had thought it was big before anyone had arrived. The ceiling was impossibly high, and there were windows on every wall overlooking Paris as it glowed in the dark. The dance floor was in the center of the whole room, and tables surrounded it on every side. There was so much food they could feed everyone in the city. And yet the ballroom seemed even bigger now that Adrien was searching for Marinette. He felt hopelessly lost as he stood there taking it all in. Then he remembered that he was technically the host of this event, which meant he had to appear somewhat cool and collected. 

His throat felt dry. It reminded him of his once-sandpaper tongue. He snagged a glass of champagne off of a passing waiter’s tray and downed a gulp of it. He wished it was water. The champagne would just make his head even more fuzzy. He put the glass back on a tray.

Adrien was starting to feel rather lonely in the sea of people. He felt eyes on him everywhere he went. And yet no one actually talked to him. Not even a smile was flashed in his direction. He hated it. Hadn’t he spent nine lonely months as a cat? Scratch that - he had basically been lonely his entire life. 

He was so tired of it. He wanted to feel the way he did when he was with Marinette. Happy. Safe. Valued. He missed being able to curl up in her lap. He missed talking to her and laughing with her. He imagined himself back in their little patch of grass in the field by her house. Warm from the sunshine, warm from Marinette. She would draw and he would just hold her (maybe now she could sit in his lap) and they would talk until the sun went down. A smile quirked on his lips. His stomach fluttered with butterflies. 

Adrien was quite distracted by thoughts of cuddling Marinette, so he was very taken aback when someone collided into him. He stumbled a little, and raised his arms to catch the person as they fell against him. 

“Sorry!” a distinctly female voice exclaimed. “Oh my gosh, sorry.”

Adrien would have known that voice anywhere. The butterflies in his stomach now soared as he looked right into the sky-blue eyes of Marinette herself. She blinked at him, a light blush flooding her cheeks. When she regained her balance, he quickly realized that his hands were still on her arms. He dropped them hastily. 

“It’s fine,” he said as casually as he could. It was a conscious effort to try and act nonchalant. He was finally face to face with his true love. And she looked even more beautiful in person. 

She stared at him. His heart skipped a beat. Did she recognize him? Or at least, was she starting to? If she wasn’t, should he just come right out and say it? We met when I was a cat and I’m in love with you. Okay, maybe not like that. He definitely didn’t want to freak her out. Maybe he shouldn’t do it tonight, and try some other time? But what if there was no other time? No, he couldn’t think like that. But he couldn’t wait any longer, either. He couldn’t be apart from her for any longer. 

Adrien flashed her his most cat-like grin. “I like your spots,” he said. 

Marinette blinked at him. “Oh!” She looked down at her dress, where the spots were. “Thanks.” She looked back up at him. “I like your eyes.”

His smile turned smug. He couldn’t help it. “Why, thank you, my lady.” Part of him was incredibly tempted to do something stupid like bow or kiss her hand. He flexed his fingers instead. 

A beat of silence passed between them. Marinette’s eyes wandered around the room. Silently, Adrien started to panic. He had to do something to keep her attention. He couldn’t risk losing her again, not when she had literally walked right into him. 

“Why spots?” he blurted. 

This grabbed her attention. “Pardon?” she asked. 

“Why did you go with spots for your dress? You designed it, didn’t you?”

“Oh,” Marinette spluttered, absently smoothing her hands over her skirt. “Yeah, I did. How did you know?”

Now is your chance, say it! He hesitated. “Lucky guess.”

She quirked a little smile at him. He wished he could bottle up that smile. Or better yet, spend the rest of his life coaxing even more out of her, each one bigger and brighter than the last. 

“Well, luck was exactly the motive behind the spots.” She took the skirt in both her hands and curtsied. “Ladybugs bring luck.”

This time, Adrien gave in to the temptation. He returned her curtsy with a bow. “And you thought you would be needing their help tonight?”

Marinette laughed lightly. “I mean, look around. It’s not every day I get to come to a fashion event like this.” She blushed again and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “And as you learned the hard way, I’m very clumsy. So I definitely need some luck on my side tonight.”

“Well, if luck is on my side tonight, you’ll fall into my arms again.” As soon as he said it, Adrien clamped his lips shut. He could feel the blush rising in his cheeks. He waited for Marinette to cringe, or even worse, just walk away. 

Miraculously, she didn’t. She gaped at him, clearly taken aback at first. But then she laughed. And then she blushed. Adrien’s heart swelled with love. 

“Your lines could use some work,” she remarked. 

He felt braver. “Think you have a better one?”

She laughed again and shook her head. “Not really my style,” she admitted.

“Well, what is?”

She quirked a brow at him. He wondered if the flirting was too soon. But he couldn’t help it - his stomach was a bundle of nerves, and she was so easy to talk to. Words were just flying out of his mouth. If he wasn’t more careful, a love confession would definitely be next. 

“Being clumsy,” Marinette said with a laugh. “And falling into people to get them to notice me.” 

Adrien grinned at that. Her eyes widened a little in response. 

“Not that I wanted you to notice me,” she stammered. “I mean...I’m glad you did...but-”

“I would have noticed you anyway,” he promised. 

She smiled shyly and blushed. 

He was thinking of how to whisk her away from the center of the party, maybe to a quieter spot where they could talk, when Marinette suddenly lurched toward him, eyes wide with surprise. He was quick to catch her again as she stumbled. 

“Sorry!” she murmured to him. 

He shook his head. “Nothing to be sorry for.” 

“Adrien?” a shrill voice squealed. “Adrien, there you are!” 

Adrien didn’t have to look far to spot her. Chloe Bourgeois was forcing her way through the crowd toward him. He gulped. 

He felt Marinette’s eyes on him. “Adrien?” she echoed. 

He laughed nervously. So much for a secret identity. “Uh -”

“Adrien, I’ve been looking all over for you!” Chloe exclaimed. She crammed herself right next to him, jostling Marinette out of his arms. 

“Uh, hey Chlo,” he muttered, irritated that his cover was blown. Leave it to Chloe to be able to scope him out anywhere. 

“This party is absolutely fabulous!” she said. “It was such a brilliant idea of yours to throw a big party in honor of your triumphant return to Paris!” 

Adrien’s heart pounded. He glanced nervously to Marinette. She was looking at him, her brow furrowed. 

“It’s been so long since we hung out, don’t you think?” Chloe asked, looping her arm through his. 

“Yeah, well . . . it’s been a while since I hung out with anyone,” Adrien replied a little shortly. Seeing as he had been, you know, a cat for nine months. 

“Why don’t I get some drinks and we can catch up?”

“Uh, maybe later, Chloe -” He looked over at Marinette but she was already backing away.

“Oh, please, go ahead. Don’t let me intrude. You should catch up with your friend,” she insisted. 

“No, it’s alright -” Adrien began, stepping forward to follow her. But she just smiled and disappeared into the crowd. He called her name but the music drowned him out and she was already gone. 

“Adrikins?” Chloe asked innocently. 

Adrien steeled himself, then turned around to face her.

“Chloe,” he said. “I’ll take you up on that drink. I have a lot to tell you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry to have kept this chapter from you for so long! With new episodes airing and a quick trip to Paris you can say my inspiration is back! I really hope you enjoy!


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